Day 69 - Just keep swimming...

This morning I got up slightly earlier than Andrew to meet Mom at 9 am outside our rooms for a walk. We left the hotel and walked toward the sea, where we followed the boardwalk and beach through Eilat. We passed shops, one of which we stopped in to see if we could find a book for Andrew (but we failed). Past the mall, the boardwalk gave way to private beaches, so we had to stop. We backtracked a few yards and walked out onto a pier, where we sat and dipped our feet in the Red Sea for the first time. The water was clear and beautiful, and we sat for a few minutes pointing out fishes to each other and observing how lethal-looking the pointy sea nettles were.

Eventually we headed back and joined the boys for breakfast in the hotel. It was an extensive buffet, with typical Israeli breakfast items including an array of cheeses with ambiguous English names, vegetables and salads, and shakshouka (which wasn’t that great, actually). Andrew, after only a few days in Israel, was already missing toast, but somehow managed to survive. Eli came down soon and joined us, and Susan, our travel agent (and also his girlfriend!) came down as well, meeting all of us for the first time. We were informed that Andrew and I had reservations for introductory dives at 12:30, so we headed upstairs to gather our things.

Soon we were off on the short drive to Coral Beach. We went slightly past it, however, to see the Egyptian border before backtracking, parking, and heading to AquaSport, where we’d be diving. Eli set the rents up with a place to sit and chill in a friend’s Bedouin tent, while we went to buy some disposable waterproof cameras. We then waited in line and paid for our dives, then met our instructors and got wetsuits. Andrew and I headed to the showers to put them on.

When we got back, we were outfitted with a weight belt, tank and regulator. Flippers and goggles in hand, we walked to the shore, took off our sandals, and entered the water. Thirty seconds of introduction later (i.e. spit in your goggles, put this in your mouth and breathe, this hand signal means swim, etc), we were underwater. There were some amazing coral formations, and one man-made thing, around which the fish were congregating. Andrew and I each had different instructors, so saw slightly different things.

We swam and took pictures until I sensed we were heading back to shore. All of a sudden I was standing up and my head was out of the water. I took off my flippers and got out, found my sandals, and headed back to the counter where my instructor helped me get off my tank and everything. It was back to the showers to get the wetsuit off, a task which proved slightly easier than getting it on, before rejoining Andrew.

Overall, it was a great thing to do, but I wasn’t really that comfortable underwater. I was breathing fine, but with the regulator, you breathe in and out through your mouth. As a swimmer, I’m used to breathing out through my nose, so even though I had sufficient air, while we were underwater I kept thinking, ok, when are we going up to breathe? I would go again, though, once, and I think I’d probably feel better about it now that I know what to expect.

Andrew and I got back to the tent and then decided to go with mom for a swim with some goggles we borrowed from Eli and Susan, so she could see some of the fish. We passed the goggles around and took a few more pictures of each other while just chilling. Eventually we headed out and sat down to relax. We ordered some pita with labane (a white, very soft cheese), and were able to watch the pita cooked on a dome-like piece of iron over a fire. It was delicious.

The rest of the afternoon was spent doing more of the same: chilling in the tent, swimming a bit more near the shore, taking some more pictures, talking, etc. Notable events include me cutting my leg and the bottom of my foot on some rocks, and us ordering some sweet tea. Once both of these were complete, we decided to head back to the hotel for showers. Andrew was able to locate the opening ceremonies on TV, which we caught the end of (mostly some speeches, singing, and the end of the torch relay).

Soon we started off on the walk to dinner. We were going in the opposite direction to where Mom and I had walked this morning, toward some very nice hotels and past some very nice shops. Eventually we reached the restaurant, Papagaio. We were all very hungry, which was perfect because this place was one of those Brazillian steakhouses where they just keep bringing you different meats on metal skewers. Andrew was beside himself with excitement.

After appetizers including carpaccio and assorted salads, the meat began. There were eleven types in total, which I won’t name because some of them the waiters couldn’t name in English, and so just pointed out, on their own bodies, where on the cow they were cut from (which amused me). The best were the sausage, which was spicy, the entrecote, and the back, which was surprisingly good despite not looking like it would be.

On the way back to our hotel, we stopped in some boardwalk shops to look for some sandals which had caught Andrew’s eye earlier. Unfortunately, the largest size was still too small, so he had to go without. Once we were back tat the hotel, Andrew and I started watching what turned out to be Die Hard 4.0 on TV. While this may be a surprising statement coming from me, it wasn’t so bad! There were some amusing lines and the plot was ok. By the time it was over, though, we were both very tired, and so talked a bit before going to sleep.

Eilat in the morning:

The border with Egypt

An underwater observatory, seen from the car

Underwater pictures! Both scuba and afterwards...

Yes I'm a natural blue...

Andrew and I (taken by his instructor)

Mom!

The tent (we're chilling on the left)

Pita being made

Coral Beach